We played a round-robin tournament featuring the 2013-14 Kings vs. the last 25 Stanley Cup champions

2014 NHL Features

Using our NHL simulation engine, we placed the 2013-14 Los Angeles Kings in a round-robin tournament featuring the last 25 Stanley Cup champions. Every team in the tournament played every other team 51 times. The simulation generated each team's winning percentage (Win %) and average goals per game (Avg. Goals).

To simulate these games or any other theoretical matchups of your choosing, try the WhatIfSports.com NHL SimMatchup tool.

The L.A. Kings defeated the New York Rangers in five games - including three overtime victories - to claim the Stanley Cup. But before settling in for the offseason, our NHL simulation engine had one more challenge for hockey's newly-minted champs. We "played" a round-robin tournament in which the Kings played the last 25 Stanley Cup winners.

The Kings finished 21st of 26 teams in or simulation, winning 42.5 percent of their games. Given that their 2.4 goals per game was the lowest figure of any team in the simulation, credit goes to Kings goalie Jonathan Quick for keeping his team out of the cellar.

Among the teams the Kings edged out were the 2011-12 Kings, which finished last in the simulation. That version of the Kings captured the Stanley Cup despite being the Western Conference's No. 8 seed in the 2012 playoffs.

The Detroit Red Wings claimed the best representation in the tournament with four teams. Two of the Red Wings' squads finished in the top 10 of the simulation, led by the eighth-ranked 2007-08 Red Wings. The New Jersey Devils and Pittsburgh Penguins each had three teams in the simulation.